MENA
Round-Up: Amazon’s India rights ambitions, Rugby World Cup draw made, Federer’s Australian Open in doubt, and more
Amazon is expected by some sports media rights industry experts to follow up its bid for New Zealand Cricket rights in India with bids for bigger properties such as the Indian Premier League
Uefa invites Qatar to take part in World Cup qualifying group
Uefa has invited the Qatar national team to compete in the European qualifying campaign for the 2022 Fifa World Cup, which will take place in the Gulf nation
Abu Dhabi Sheikh invests into Israeli football team Beitar Jerusalem
Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, a member of Abu Dhabi’s ruling family, has completed the purchase of a 50-per-cent stake in Israeli Premier League team Beitar Jerusalem.
LaLiga to launch subscription mobile app for international fans
LaLiga is launching a subscription mobile app in the Middle East and Africa, with plans to roll it out in other markets, under deals with mobile technology company Mondia and telco Orange
DFL and Charlton plot sports OTT platform in Mena region
The German Football League (DFL) has been working with Israeli pay-television broadcaster Charlton with a view to setting up an over-the-top sports broadcast offering in the Middle East and North Africa…
Abu Dhabi Media launches specialist combat channel
Pay-television broadcaster Abu Dhabi Media has launched a specialist combat sports channel, Abu Dhabi Fight, which is exclusively available via telco Etisalat
Fifa finalises plans for Arab Cup tournament in Qatar
Fifa, football’s global governing body, has confirmed plans for an Arab Cup tournament, which will feature 22 national teams from the region and take place in Qatar in December 2021 ahead of the country’s sta…
Saudi Arabia to stage first Formula E night race, Extreme E adds ESPN deal
The Formula E electric racing series has announced it will stage its first night race in Diriyah, Saudi Arabia, as part of its 2020-21 season
Round-Up: Cristiano Ronaldo joins Kuaishou, Stars out of Lanka Premier League, Fifa in women’s rights stand, and more
Cristiano Ronaldo has signed an exclusive partnership with Chinese video-sharing app Kuaishou to provide short-form videos to his Chinese fans – Sportsmoney.c
RMG boosts Bahrain International Trophy international broadcast exposure
Racecourse Media Group, the horse racing media and data rights holding company, has more than doubled the global exposure for the second running of the Bahrain International Trophy, the showpiece international…
Fifa Club World Cup in Qatar pushed back to February
The 2020 edition of football’s Fifa Club World Cup in Qatar has been moved from December to the start of February next year.
Premier League swells in-house TV rights sales team with Gregory, Sherlock hires
The English Premier League has added to its international broadcast rights sales team with the appointments of media sales heads in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and the Americas, SportBusiness…
Simon Chadwick | Sport could have major role to play in Gulf geopolitics
Simon Chadwick, director of the Centre for the Eurasian Sport Industry at the EM Lyon Business School, explores the role sport could play in the normalisation of relations between Israel and the Arab Gulf nations.
Saudi sports minister: Media entity won’t bid for rights across Mena
A state-controlled sports media company set up by the Saudi Arabia authorities would only look to secure broadcast rights in the country and not across the Middle East and North Africa, according to the…
Round-Up: Australian athletes funding boost, Provisional 2021 F1 calendar released, and more
The Australian Institute of Sport is to provide funding of more than A$115m ($82.1m/€69.7
WSC Sports strikes deal close to home with Israeli football tie-up
Israel-based automated highlights company WSC Sports has reached an agreement with the Israeli Professional Football Leagues to provide real-time video content
Round-Up: Tokyo Aquatics Centre unveiled, NBA eyes December restart, Dubai to host IPL final, and more
The newly built Tokyo Aquatics Centre was unveiled during an event on October 24, marking the completion of all venues built for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics - The Japan Times
Sanya and Mexico City on back burner as Formula E revises calendar
The Formula E electric racing series has revised its calendar plan for the 2020-21 season, with races in China and Mexico postponed indefinitely as the first four rounds will now consist of double-headers…